NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A new state effort could help cut down on scam calls that use familiar phone numbers to get you to answer the phone.
It's a technique called spoofing, and a bill from state Rep. David Byrd (R-Waynesboro) would give the state attorney general the ability to sue someone up to $25,000 for spoofing a phone number: that's up from $10,000 right now. Each phone call would be a separate offense.
TN bill seeks big fines on robocallers faking local phone numbers
"We're trying to help prevent these unwanted robo-calls, that's probably the number one complaint in my district," Byrd said.
Byrd says the FCC would be in charge of going after scammers, and he says he hopes the bigger fine may lead to more results.
